Telling the real story of China
 

For a nation to gain face,
It requires subtlety and grace.
It is truly in poor form,
To go about tooting one’s own horn.
China needs no embellishment
Of its charm.
Doing so
Only causes harm.
Vividly telling the nation’s story
Is the only way to bring it glory.

 

(Cartoon by Gou Ben; Poem by Long Yuan )

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National image dissemination plays an important role in international exchanges and promotion of national influence. As China pays growing attention to this goal, it is necessary to make clear the content and significance of national image dissemination.  

Connotation of national image
First, national image  is the synthesis of multiple dimensions of a country, such as politics, economy, culture, society, nation, history and geography. It is inappropriate to disseminate national image only from one dimension.  

Second, national image should be established based on actual facts, reflecting the objective reality of a country.

Third, national image is the common connotation and evaluation of the external and internal public. Both the international community and the country itself are important to image recognition. Usually, the national image can be disseminated effectively only when the two sides are consistent. 
Finally, news reports in the mass media are not the only source of national image dissemination. With cultural development and technological progress, the concept of cultural soft power is acceptable worldwide. Various cultural forms are gradually becoming an important means of disseminating the national image.

 

Temperament of modern China
China has been constantly shaping its image as an ancient civilization from the perspective of historical and cultural inheritance. Cultural “symbols” have been used so far to disseminate the national image, such as wushu (a martial art), traditional opera, paper-cutting and the four great inventions: the compass, papermaking, movable-type printing press and gunpowder. However, they cannot reflect the great changes that have taken place in China. Nor can they change the world’s understanding of China.
 

There has been little explanation or expression to date of China’s core values, cultural temperament and future development tendency, which other countries pay attention to and feel confused about. We must therefore determine the core content of China’s national image as soon as possible, namely the core content of Chinese culture.

Difficulties emerging in national image dissemination have resulted from content not conforming to the characteristics of the era. Content is the key to disseminating the national image. Effective communication cannot be achieved without correct understanding of content.

 

Dissemination based on reality
It should be noted that disseminating the national image doesn’t mean singing the praises of a country. China’s national media focus too much on the positive sides of the government. Western countries therefore have a severe misunderstanding of China’s image due to the lack of objective domestic reporting.

Media should display not only China’s achievements and glories but also its problems, dilemma and even faults on its development path. China should be introduced as a country that can accept constructive criticism with an open mind and positively resolve problems in its development.  
 

Additionally, full play should be given to roles of experts and teams. They should strive to tap into the core content of Chinese culture and display its characteristics, making  “Chinese stories” and “Chinese expression” understood and accepted by the world. 
 

Multiple ways of dissemination
Recently, many research institutions and individuals are formulating the unified standard of national image dissemination. Thousands of similar national images will arise in this way and the characteristics of a country will not be well displayed to the world. 
 

Measures should be made to avoid standardization. First, work in formulating the standards of national image dissemination should be curbed as quickly as possible to uphold levels and capacities of cultural innovation.
 

Second, various means should be used to transmit the national image. New media, especially social media, is increasingly playing an important role in national image dissemination. Other forms, especially films, TV shows, books, performances and cultural exchanges, are forming the new tendency of national image dissemination.

Films and TV shows are increasingly proving beneficial to national image dissemination. Hollywood movies and South Korean TV shows successfully convey national image and value concepts. Importance has been attached to this aspect in China. For example, the Chinese TV show My Own Swordsman and documentary series A Bite of China have been successively received abroad. Great efforts should be made to create more films and TV shows infused with China’s core culture. Emphasis should also be laid on cultivation of relevant professionals, who are essential in producing films and TV shows for national image dissemination.

 

Xie Luncan is a professor from the School of Economics and Management at Communication University of China.